The All-Zona Book Fest: Guest Post by Jude Johnson

A few years ago, I met this lovely lady through a Tucson writer's group. She has since started her own writer's organization and is hosting a multi-author book signing in November that I will be a part of. I wanted to give her the opportunity to share this event. So without further ado....

The All-Zona Book Fest

Treasures are all around us. Sometimes it’s hard to see them because of all the noise and hoopla of media blasts, but they are here. They are local Arizonans who have been published, sometimes independently, sometimes by small publishing houses, and sometimes by The Big Houses.  They write in all genres, from fantasy fiction to historical nonfiction, from romance to murderous mysteries, from humorous whimsy to adrenaline-rush adventure.

Book festivals are a great way for readers to discover these hidden gems--and for the authors to mingle with potential new fans. To that end, Gecko Gals Ink (a group of five spunky Tucson authors) has banded with Mostly Books Bookstore to stage the first ever All-Zona Book Fest. Scheduled for Sunday, November 17^th, the Book Fest will be held at the Tucson Sheraton Hotel and Suites, in their Sabino Ballroom at 5151 East Grant Road in Tucson. Open to the public (free admission!)  from 10AM till 4 PM, The All-Zona Book Fest will showcase authors from Goodyear, Oro Valley, Phoenix, Sierra Vista, and Tucson, including Nancy Turner (These is My Words, Sarah’s Quilt). We are hoping Jennifer Lee Carrell (Interred With Their Bones, The Speckled Monster) and Mark Kelly (Moustronaut) will also join us; their schedules are not confirmed at this time.

Have you been to a book festival? Some offer panel discussions, others offer readings, and some just offer the opportunity for you to meet one on one with a special wordsmith who just might catapult your imagination into another realm. While our format for the All-Zona Book Fest is still under construction, we can promise a wonderful selection of books in different genres and a chance to chat with their creators.

If you are a published author who lives in Arizona at least half of the year, please consider joining in the fun. Check out our blog at GeckoGalsInk.blogspot.com for information and how to get a registration form. Space is limited and the deadline to register is November 1.

Readers, mark your calendars and plan to check out a treasure trove of new books!

~Jude Johnson
Gecko Gals Ink, LLC


Thanks again to Jude for guest posting here. If you want any further information, you can check out the event on her blog: http://geckogalsink.blogspot.com/ or the Arizona Daily Star event calendar: http://dynamic.azstarnet.com/calendar/index.php?lang=en&view=44755&date=2013-11-17.

You can also check out the independent bookstore helping in the event: http://mostlybooksaz.com/

Hope to see you all there!